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NO. 1001 - THE MAGIC BANK ACCOUNT!

No. 1001

Jim Davidson -- NEWSPAPER COLUMN

THE MAGIC BANK ACCOUNT!

If you are old enough to remember the days before fast-food restaurants, the microwave, and instant “this or that,” you will appreciate even more what I am going to say. In those days there were lots of home-cooked meals, and people actually sat down and ate together. There were many food items that were considered staples -- beans, potatoes, corn, biscuits, turnip greens, cured ham just to mention a few. Of course, there were many more. So long as they were rotated and you did not have them every day or too often, you were good to go.
I have used this example to make a point. Just as we need wholesome food for our bodies, we also need wholesome food for our mind. This is why, if it is good, I don’t mind passing along things that have been around for a long time.
A few days ago a friend sent me something titled “The Magic Bank Account” that would certainly qualify. While the author is not known, it was found in the billfold of Alabama Coach Bear Bryant after he died in 1982. Of course, while he never coached here, we are all proud of Coach Bryant because Arkansas is his home state. To be sure, this article is not only well written but makes some tremendous points.
It begins, “Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. However, this prize has rules. The set of Rules: 1. Everything that you did not spend during each day would be taken away from you. 2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account. 3. You may only spend it. 4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day. 5. The bank can end the game without warning -- at any time it can say ‘Game Over!’ It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
“What would you personally do? You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself but also for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don’t know, because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right? ACTUALLY, this GAME IS REAL. Shocked??? YES! Each of us is already a winner of this ‘PRIZE’. We just can’t seem to see it. The PRIZE IS ‘TIME’. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.
“And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not credited to us. 3. What we have not used up that day is forever lost. 4. Yesterday is forever gone. 5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account any time WITHOUT WARNING. SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds? Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think. So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life! Here’s wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start ‘spending’ and DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT GROWING OLD! SOME PEOPLE DON’T GET THE PRIVILEGE!”
Well Coach, I can understand why you kept it handy. It is good and has so many lessons for life we can all benefit from. One thing for sure, as I have gotten older, my time has become much more precious to me. I am sure you feel the same way.
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(Editor’s Note: THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY – Begin your day on a positive note – 365 days for $12. This will benefit the Bookcase for Every Child project. Go to www.apositivemomentwithjim.com to subscribe.)